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National Basketball League (New Zealand)

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For other organizations with a similar name, see National Basketball League (disambiguation) and NBL (disambiguation).

New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL)
Most recent season or competition:
2024 New Zealand NBL season
SportBasketball
Founded1981
First season1982
General ManagerMaree Taylor
No. of teams12
CountriesNew Zealand
ContinentFIBA Oceania (Oceania)
Most recent
champion(s)		Canterbury Rams (6th title)
Most titlesWellington Saints (12 titles)
TV partner(s)Sky Sport
Level on pyramid1
Official websiteNZNBL.Basketball

The New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) is a men's semi-professional basketball league in New Zealand.[1]

History

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The 1980s ushered in a period of exceptional growth and popularity for basketball in New Zealand. Late in 1981, six men's teams – a mixture of club and provincial representative sides – went out alone and created an inaugural national league. It was enough of a success to come under the control of the New Zealand Basketball Federation the following year, when it grew in size and secured a naming sponsor. An allowance of two imported players (invariably Americans with college basketball experience) per team, and the fact that games were played in the evening indoors, helped turn the league into a new family entertainment option. Spectators filled gymnasiums and media coverage reached unprecedented levels.[2] The early 1990s held dwindling fortunes for New Zealand basketball and many teams in the NZNBL, with reduced TV coverage, sponsorships, and crowd numbers.[3] With the success of the Tall Blacks at the 2002 FIBA World Championship and the introduction of the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL in 2003, basketball in New Zealand rose in popularity again.[2]

The number of teams each season has constantly changed since the league's inception, with many promotions and relegations between the first division and second division during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as many withdrawals due to financial reasons. The league began with 8 teams in 1982, then peaked at 13 teams in 1995, before dropping to a low of 7 in 2016. In 2019, the Southern Huskies from Tasmania became the first ever Australian team to join a New Zealand competition. The league returned to 7 teams in 2020 following a revised small-scale format due to the coronavirus pandemic.[4] In 2022, the league was hailed for reaching competitive balance after years of unbalanced competition, with evenly spread talent and resources across the ten teams.[5]

In July 2024, it was revealed that the New Zealand NBL were looking at an expansion team from the Indian National Basketball League.[6][7][8] On 30 October 2024, it was announced that the Indian Panthers would join the league in 2025.[9]

Current teams

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See also: List of current New Zealand NBL team rosters
Team City Region Arena Capacity Colours Debut Head coach
Auckland Tuatara Auckland Auckland Region Eventfinda Stadium 4,179     2019 Australia Cameron Gliddon
Canterbury Rams Christchurch Canterbury Cowles Stadium 2,300[10]     1982 New Zealand Judd Flavell
Franklin Bulls Pukekohe Auckland Region Franklin Pool and Leisure Centre 1,100     2020 Germany Sebastian Gleim
Hawke's Bay Hawks Napier Hawke's Bay Pettigrew Green Arena 2,500       1983 Australia Sam Gruggen
Indian Panthers Auckland Auckland Region Pulman Arena       2025 TBD
Manawatu Jets Palmerston North Manawatū-Whanganui Central Energy Trust Arena 2,000       1982 United States Tony Webster
Nelson Giants Nelson Nelson Trafalgar Centre 2,460     1982 New Zealand Michael Fitchett
Otago Nuggets Dunedin Otago Edgar Centre 2,880       1990 Vacant
Southland Sharks Invercargill Southland Stadium Southland 4,019       2010 United States Jonathan Yim
Taranaki Airs New Plymouth Taranaki TSB Stadium 4,560     1985 Australia Sam Mackinnon
Tauranga Whai Tauranga Bay of Plenty Mercury Baypark       2024 New Zealand Matt Lacey
Wellington Saints Wellington Wellington Region TSB Bank Arena 4,002     1983 New Zealand Aaron Young
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Location of teams within New Zealand

Expansion teams

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Team City Region Arena Capacity Colours Debut Head coach
Queenstown Yeti[11][12] Queenstown Otago TBD TBD TBD TBD

Former and defunct teams

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League eligibility rules

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There are two categories of players in the NZNBL:

  • Non-Restricted Player – players eligible to play for New Zealand in FIBA competitions
  • Restricted Player – a player who is not eligible to play for New Zealand[16][17]

Broadcasting details

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In 2016 and 2017, the NZNBL began to more freely livestream and broadcast their games.[18][19] In 2020, the league had all 75 games broadcast by Sky Sport, marking the first time in the league's four-decade history that every game would be made available to viewers across the nation.[20] That same year, the league secured a deal to broadcast live in the United States through ESPN.[21]

In 2022, the NZNBL and Sky Sport signed a five-year commercial deal estimated to be worth $7.5 million for the teams.[22]

Honours

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List of champions

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Main article: List of New Zealand NBL champions
Team Title(s) Runners-up Total Year(s) won Year(s) lost
Wellington Saints 12 8 20 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 1983, 1986, 1991, 2001, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2018
Auckland Stars 9 4 13 1982, 1983, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005 1984, 1985, 1989, 2006
Canterbury Rams 6 4 10 1986, 1989, 1990, 1992, 2023, 2024 1987, 1993, 1994, 1999
Waikato Pistons 4 2 6 2001, 2002, 2008, 2009 2003, 2010
Nelson Giants 3 8 11 1994, 1998, 2007 1990, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2013
Southland Sharks 3 1 4 2013, 2015, 2018 2017
Hutt Valley Lakers 2 0 2 1991, 1993
Otago Nuggets 2 0 2 2020, 2022
Hawke's Bay Hawks 1 7 8 2006 1995, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2019, 2021
Auckland Pirates 1 0 1 2012
Auckland Tuatara 0 3 3 2022, 2023, 2024
Harbour Heat 0 2 2 1988, 1998
Manawatu Jets 0 2 2 1992, 2020
Waitemata Dolphins 0 1 1 1982
Super City Rangers 0 1 1 2016

Awards

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Main article: List of National Basketball League (New Zealand) awards
Current
Past

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "NBL OPENS OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW FRANCHISES". nznbl.basketball. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2023. The Sal's NBL is the pre-eminent semi-professional men's basketball league in New Zealand.
  2. ^ a b Saker, John (5 September 2013). "Basketball". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Locations – Exodus Saints". Wotzon.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013.
  4. ^ "AUCKLAND TO HOST 2020 SAL'S NBL, TIPPING OFF 23 JUNE". nznbl.basketball. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  5. ^ Nelson, Justin (3 August 2022). "Taranaki Airs shake up the NBL as they head to playoffs". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 5 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  6. ^ "BREAKING NEW GROUND: INDIAN NBL SEEKS ENTRY INTO NBL AND TAUIHI LEAGUES". nznbl.basketball. 19 July 2024. Archived from the original on 19 July 2024.
  7. ^ Egan, Brendon (19 July 2024). "NBL, Tauihi basketball leagues set to feature Indian backed teams from 2025". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 19 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Indian-backed teams to join NZ basketball leagues in 2025". 1news.co.nz. 19 July 2024. Archived from the original on 19 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Indian Panthers Join NBL & Tauihi – Kiwi Basketball Set To Soar In India". nznbl.basketball. 30 October 2024. Archived from the original on 30 October 2024.
  10. ^ Cowles Stadium – Christchurch City Council
  11. ^ "QUEENSTOWN SET TO JOIN SAL'S NBL IN 2024". nznbl.basketball. 23 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022.
  12. ^ "WHAI NAME MATT LACEY HEAD COACH FOR INAUGURAL SEASON". nznbl.basketball. 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. The Queenstown Yeti were initially tapped to join the league in 2024 as a 12th franchise, but that entry for has been delayed for at least two years while awaiting developments on upgrades required for the franchise's planned home venue.
  13. ^ Pirates out of 2013 NBL
  14. ^ Waikato Pistons out of 2012 national league
  15. ^ Waikato Pistons pull out of NBL competition
  16. ^ NZ NBL AGREE TO THE RETURN OF MANAWATU JETS IN 2018
  17. ^ NZ NBL MEDIA STATEMENT: THE RULING OF JOSHUA DUINKER’S ELIGIBILITY AND PLAYING STATUS IN THE NZ NBL
  18. ^ THE NEW ZEALAND NBL TO BE BROADCAST LIVE AND FREE ON NZHERALD.CO.NZ
  19. ^ Basketball: NZ Herald to live stream NZ NBL in 2017
  20. ^ SKY TO BROADCAST EVERY SAL'S NBL GAME IN 2020
  21. ^ "NZNBL: New Zealand National Basketball League". NZNBL. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  22. ^ New Zealand's soaring National Basketball League proving ratings hit for partners
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